Product Placement in MMORPG's

[Apotheosis]

:-X

[AnticorRifling]

Nike Boots of Escape!

[Latrinsorm]

...with 5/17 breakage. :/

[Iqxero]

I believe the game Anarchy Online is paid for entirly by online "bill boards" that advertise real life products and switch products every so often. They switched from monthly fee to free when they made this change.

That could be the wrong game, the article is probably somewhere on the forum.

[StrayRogue]

Oh yes its going to become more common. The /pizza and Anarchy Online bill board thing is just the beginning.

[FinisWolf]

As many of you know, advertising in video games is common place. And, I am sure as many of you suspect, advertisers have been looking for a way to have interactive advertising in video games as well.

They have been trying for years to bring interactive advertising to TV, but each time they have tried, they have failed. At some point, someone is going to get it right and become very very rich.

Finiswolf

[Warriorbird]

Sounds great to me. Advertising fuels my favorite online music service.

[FinisWolf]

Because I am curious, and yes a bit off topic, whats your fav online music service? I use iTunes.

Finis

[Warriorbird]

Oh. I use www.launch.com just for computer use. CDs and a portable for away from the computer.

[Caiylania]

I wish it wasn't...... /pizza is one thing.... but seeing Nike swooshes carved on a castle wall or stuff like that would kill the immersion for me.

[Wezas]

I agree with Cai.

In medeival games like thes ones most/some of us play, it would be out of line. The /pizza thing is fine because the end user initiates it.

Now, if you want to have a current era game or future game with billboards or props, etc. - then I can see it as a possibility, and perhaps a way to make the games either cheaper to buy (doubtful) or made quicker.

[FinisWolf]

I'll have to check that out.

Finis

[Apotheosis]

:-X

[FinisWolf]

Implementing an idea that works and marketing that idea is where you will get the money.

Medievil genre is a specific market, so I could see say a sword shop, where you can literally buy the sword, etc. So even in that genre things can work, but getting them to work were there is a market absorption is the real problem.

Finiswolf

[Apotheosis]

:-X

[Wezas]

Originally posted by Yswithe
what if you take a modern day product, and put it in context of the setting.. for example, going to a pub and ordering 'ye old pepsi' or something like that?


I don't even know you but I feel like doing this to you:

http://forums.thevboard.com/images/smiles/373.gif

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Yswithe
'ye old pepsi' I would immediately quit, find a random person from St. Louis, and hit him in the head with a bat.

[Apotheosis]

:-X

[Fallen]

Agreed. I suppose I wouldn't mind product placement in GS if it was well within genre. Such as, a weapons shop named after an actual place, which you can buy kick ass weapons that are based around the weapons available in the store.

You like your Gold-hilted gleaming steel warsword? Analyze it for a link to buy one of your own!

Fine by me.

[Edited on 3-22-2005 by Fallen]

[Apotheosis]

:-X

[Toxicvixen]

Ye ole Pepsi or Medievil Coke, yeah I would still play. :lol: If I love the game I don't care how they get the funds to keep it going. Okay I guess sweatshops would probably have me concerned...

[FinisWolf]

Originally posted by Yswithe
:lol:

you guys thought I was serious about 'ye old pepsi'? :lol:

Yea yea, try and cover..., its too late, we all already know...

:lol:

Finis

[FinisWolf]

Generally, with a specialized market, price won't matter, you will sell. Though have an option for a low / medium / & High end of each product (as an example: plastic / wood / metal) would be a bit smarter as the business would end up making more money.

Finis

[YancyDC]

There were billboards for Constantine in the Matrix Online beta. Not sure it was a paid thing, but I laughed. There's also RocaWear buffed clothes if you want your avatar to look like an idiot. I don't mind them at all, since it's not annoying. It fits in that world, though.

The sponsoring an event idea for other games isn't bad at all.

MUDs won't have any real advertising unless it is just banners on their websites. I could see MMORPGs adding screens that advertise during loading times, where normal billboards in game wouldn't work.

- Arkans